December 17, 2017

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

All the members of the 2005 Ashes winning England team were appointed Members of the British Empire following what has been called the greatest ever Ashes series. WILL BENNETT looks at where they are now.

‘Sir’ Michael ‘of’ Vaughan has strolled down the well-trodden from England Captain to Sky Sports pundit since his retirement. He is now an expert commentator and author of three books centering around his captaincy of the National Side.

Equipped with a magnetic personality and sharp wit, Freddie Flintoff has had a sparkling career in the media since ending his cricket career through injury. He has been a team captain on a League of Their Own, fashion designer, broadcaster and most recently, actor.

James Anderson has become one of England’s most celebrated bowlers of all time, recently taking his 500th test wicket. He has enjoyed attention off the pitch for nude modelling, carefully crafted hairstyles and dashing looks, earning comparison with David Beckham himself.

Kevin Pietersen became England’s talisman after 2005, playing just one county match before 2010. Pietersen was infamously England’s captain for just 3 tests, until a falling out with coach Peter Moores led to the both of them leaving their jobs. Twitter outbursts and text messages to opposition players have coloured the public’s impression of Pietersen in recent years. He is now a twitter sensation who sometimes plays cricket.

Ian Bell continued to play for England until 2015 and has since played for Warwickshire and most recently the Perth Scorchers. He is the second player since Ian Botham to be involved in 5 Ashes wins.

Paul Collingwood is still hanging on to his professional cricketing career aged 41. He left test cricket in 2011 but still captains Durham.

Ashley Giles has pursued more of the same, working his way up the tiers of cricket coaching. He is now head coach at Lancashire.

Having retired from all forms of the game in 2013, Steve Harmison turned his attention to football. In February 2015 he was appointed manager of Ashington in England’s ninth division. He lasted two and a half years as manager of the town where he grew up, before resigning in October 2017.

Matthew Hoggard is another clinging onto the spoils of his playing career. He is assistant coach of women’s team Loughborough Lightning, and after dinner speaker and cricket pundit.

Wicketkeeper Geraint Jones went on to earn the record for the most test matches without scoring a duck. He promptly concluded his career with two ducks in as many innings and as is now a coach at Brentwood School.

After winning the Ashes, Simon Jones became the highest placed sportsman in a poll of the world’s sexiest men voted for by readers of New Woman magazine.

Andrew Strauss was appointed England captain in 2009 after Pietersen’s tiff with the management staff. He left playing in 2012 but became involved again in 2015 as England’s Director of Cricket. He promptly sacked Peter Moores as coach but also ruled out Kevin Pietersen’s return.

During the side’s next tour after the Ashes series, Marcus Trescothick returned home suddenly for personal reasons, which is now believed to have been depression. Despite never really returning to International cricket, Trescothick has become one of the most decorated players English domestic cricket has ever seen. He is still playing for Somerset, signing a contract extension until the end of the 2018 season.